Return-feed device.



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A. comme.

RETURN FEED DEVICE. gApplimion :ma um s, 1899.

Patented nei.. a, 4899..

v2 Sxeets-Sheet I.

. UHU I No. 633,988. 1 Patented (1ct. 3, |899. A. comme. Y RETURNFEEID'DEVICE. (Mumien med :me e, 1599,

um Indem :sham-sheet 2.r

UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN coNKLINe, oE cI-IIoAeo, ILLINOIS.

RETURN-'FEED DEVICE.'

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,988, dated October3, 1899.

Y YApplication tiled Tune 6, 1899, Seriallll'e.y 719,584. (No model.)

To all whom it maycorwern.-

Be it known that L'ALLEN GONKLING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago,

in the county of Cook, State of Illinois,have invented certain Y newvand useful Improvements in Return-Feed Devices, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to feeding mechan-y ism intended to be Vusedvinconnection with maohineswhich in operating upon material carry it orcause it to pass through the principal operative elements-such as therollers of rolling, pressing, or ironing machines-and although primarilyintended for use on or application to machines for ironing apparelarticles it is also equally as useful in any machine` to or into whichthe operator feeds the' goods by hand, so that by this inventionarticles after being passed once through the Inachine maybe either surelyreceived and retained upon the opposite side of the machine or maybe automatically directed toward the operatorA at the front of themachine for a second operation, and this at the will of the operator andwithout the necessity ofleaving his position vat Vthe front of themachine'.

The invention consists of a return-feed device having a reciprocatoryand tilting movement, and particularly of such a device adapt-V ed atwill to` receive goods from and in line with the point of delivery oftheoperative elements of a machine to lhold or to return them.4

The invention has for its object to mount a shelf for vmovement towardand from the operative elements of a machine, so that the goods may bereceivedV by said shelf, or by moving the shelf awayfromtheelements thvide a tiltable shelf closely adjacent to the operative elements of amachine in order to receive goods directly therefrom and by the tiltingof the shelf deliver said goods to a conducting-receptacle, whereby anoperator at 'the front of the machine can both feed the machine andreceive the finished work at a single point, from which position he canalso control both the horizontal and tilting Inovements of the shelf.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear inthe following description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the .appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l isa vertical section through a machineprovided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof,

. and Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of one of the guiding-brackets.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severaliigures of the drawings.

The letter A designates a suitable framework, whioh may be of anydesired character, as it will be obvious that the return-feed deviceis`capable of application toany class of machine embodying the operativeelementssuch, for instance, as a pair of rollers B and B. (Shown in' thedrawings.) The applica.- tion of the invention is not, however, confinedto the ironing-machine herein shown, as this Inachineis selectedInerelyy for illustrative purposes in demonstrating the application ofthe invention.Y In the present illustration the roller B is a heatedironing-roller,

While the roller B is a clothed roller, and the ironing operation isperformed by said rollers so that the goods are delivered from the sameonto the Vshelf or table C, which constitutes the receiving element ofthis invention. This shelf Yor table may be of any desired size orconfiguration, and if found convenient the front edge C is reduced inthickness to act as a doffer-blade adjacent to one of the operativeelements-for instance, the roller By. The

table is moved to and from the operative elements by means of anoscillating lever or le-v vers D, which are secured to a rotatable shaftD' by means of a set-screw D2, to which lever y a rock-arm D3 is alsosecured and connected by a link D4 with a treadle mechanism D5.

This treadle is provided with an operating foot or step D for itsmovement in one direction and at its upper end With a weight D7 toreturn the same to its initial or normal position. It may here bestated, however, that the invention is not confined to the particularmeans for operating the shelf, as the same are merely selected for thepurpose of illustration, and any suitable mechanical connection may besubstituted to perform these functions and to operate the oscillatinglever D.

The shelf C is provided with a guide-pin C?, projecting from its side,which travels in a way E, formed in a bracket E', carried by a fixedpart of the machine. This guide or Way has a portion c thereof disposedin a slightlydescending horizontal plane and a portion e' extended intoa vertical plane, the two portions being connected together by a curvedor segmental portion c2. This bracket is particularly described for thepurposes to be hereinafter set forth, and the invention is not conned tothe specific form of bracket, as any guiding element may be substitutedtherefor to perform these functions of the invention.

Beneath the operative elements of the machine a conducting-receptacle E2is located, which may be composed of side pieces E3, connected togetherby a suitable bottom E4, and at the front of thisreceptacle a table. orshelf E5 is provided for the obvious uses of the operator.Thisconducting-receptacle is suitably supported by brackets E, mountedupon a cross-rod A', connecting the opposite sides of the machine-frame,and upon the shaft D, and the elements which have been described ascarried by the frame and connected With the shelf may be disposed uponopposite sides of said shelf, and thus duplicated.

For'the purpose of demonstrating the operation of the table C itsfunctions and advantages in practical use upon an ironing-machine willbe clearly stated, and more particularly the two separate functions ofwhich it is capable. The movement of the table to the ironing-rollerspermits small articles, such as collars and cuffs, to be received uponthe shelf, and by partially depressing the treadle and moving the shelfslightly backward other articleswill pass the edge C ofthe shelf anddrop to the conducting-receptacle, or a reversed operation may beconducted, if so desired. /Vhen an article is to be reironed and it isdesired to return the same so that the operator can reach it from thefront of the machine, the treadle is completely depressed, Which, aftermoving the table out of possible contact with the clothed roller, lowersthe inner end of the table by the pins C2 traveling in the verticalportion of the path E, thus permitting the goods to fall into thereceivingreceptacle, from which they can readily be reached by theoperator at the front of the machine.

It is an important feature in this class of return-feeds to bring theshelf or table into close relation to the operative element or roller inorder that small articles may at once pass upon the shelf, the edge ofwhich may act as a doffer-blade. For this reason the preliminaryhorizontal movement is a highly-important feature of construction.Furthermore, if the goods ironed are permitted to follow theconfiguration of the rollers they Will be delivered in a curved orcurled condition. This is prevented by the straight or horizontal floorof the shelf, which receives the goods in a horizontal plane. It Will beobvious that the machine is capable of operation by a single operatorwhen this return-feed device is applied thereto, and, furthermore, thatthe location and movement of the shelf effectually remove the ironedgoods from intimate contact with or close proximity to the clothedroller, which emits steam or vapor injurious to the finished surface ofthe goods. Furthermore, more or less moisture is imparted to the goodsif they be conducted downwardly in intimate contact with the clothedroller.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the invention may be applied toany class of machinesin which goods are adapted to be delivered directlyfrom theoperative elements and that numerous changes may be made in thestructure and configuration of the several parts hereinbefore describedWithout departing from the spirit of the invention as deiined by theappended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-- l. A return-'feed device comprising a shelfmounted for reciprocatory movement toward and from and in line With thepoint of delivery of the operative elements of a machine and adapted toreceive and retain goods When nearest said elements; substantially asspecified.

2. A return-feed device comprising a shelf mounted for movement towardand from the operative elements of a machinel and means for tilting saidshelf; substantially as specified.

3. A return-feed device comprising a shelf mounted for movement towardand from the operative elements of a machine, means for tilting saidshelf, and a conducting-receptacle adapted to receive goods from saidshelf; substantially as specified.

4. A return-feed device comprising a shelf mounted for a preliminarymovement tangentially from the operative elements of a machine and asubsequent movement at an angle to the line of said tangential movement,and means for moving said shelf; substantially as specified.

5. A return-feed device comprising a mov'- able shelf, a bracketprovided with a path or track disposed in two planes and adapted tocooperate with said shelf, and means for moving said shelf;substantially as specied.

6. A return-feed device comprising a movable shelf, a bracket providedWith a path or IOO track disposed in two planes and adapted tov coperatewith said shelf, and an oscillating arm pivoted to said shelf;substantially as specied.

7. A return-feed device comprising a movable shelf, a bracket providedwith a path or track disposed in two planes and adapted to coperate withsaid shelf, an oscillating arm pivoted to said shelf, and a treadleconnection to actuate said arm; substantially as specied.

8. A return-feed device comprising a inovable shelf, a bracket providedwith a path or track disposed in two planes and adapted to cooperatewith said shelf, an oscillating arm pivoted to said shelf, and a curvedconducting-receptacle adapted to receive goods from said shelf when inan inclined position; substantially as specified.

9. A return-feed device comprising a shelf provided with a pin, abracket provided with an upwardlycurved guide-slot, an oscillating CAD'arm pivotally connected to said shelf, means for actuating said arm, anda conducting-receptacle adapted to receive goods from said shelf;substantially as speciiied.

10. The combination with a pair of rollers, of a horizontally-disposedreceiving-shelf exltendi'n g closely adjacent to the periphery of ALLENooNKLINe t Witnesses:

GEORGE MCCARTHY, RICHARD W. YarnsA

